


Welcome to the Hunter's World

by SabelTheWitch



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Blood and Injury, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Mentions of past abuse, medium burn romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:21:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29301072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SabelTheWitch/pseuds/SabelTheWitch
Summary: A young woman gets thrown into the world of hunters and monsters after being attacked by her supposed boyfriend, and learns that not everything is as it appears. Deciding she wants to learn how to fight these things, she asks the Winchesters for help, and along the way, starts feeling something unexpected for the older Winchester.
Relationships: Dean Winchester/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 3





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger Warnings: Blood, major character near death, canon typical violence, mentions of abuse, if I forgot to list any, please let me know in a comment!  
> Pairing: Eventual Dean Winchester x Original Female Character

_**Prologue** _

Imogene peered silently around the doorway, drawing in a shaky breath. Her side hurt, her pajama top ruined by not only the hole torn in it but the bloodstain slowly spreading as well. When she decided the coast was clear, not seeing much aside from what the moonlight illuminated, she started slowly moving towards the bathroom; one place she knew would be safe.

As she headed towards the door, the floorboards creaked and she paused, listening. All she could hear was her own breathing and her pulse raising, her thoughts doing the same thing.

_He must know where I am now… if he couldn’t smell my blood as it is…_ she thought, making a dash for the bathroom and closing the door, locking it tightly. Her hands trembled as she looked in the cabinets, knocking things over in her mad search for something to defend herself while she tried to patch herself up with the first aid kit. She found his straight razor next to the kit and grabbed it out.

Carefully, she slipped down the pajama shorts she wore; they were also ruined, she noticed. The cut in her side was deep, but it had missed anything vital. However, the blood loss was starting to make her woozy. Her bandage job was getting sloppy and she found herself having to sit on the floor, her body trembling.

“Ugh… what the hell?” she muttered, looking around. Her vision was hazy and she felt so tired, all she wanted to do was sleep. At the moment, she felt safe, as so far it seemed he didn’t know where she was and she couldn’t hear anything going on. In fact, the air was eerily still and the house was very quiet. She got up and peered out the door, only to see the male standing before it. She screamed and slammed it shut, a shot of adrenaline running through her body at the sudden appearance. It seemed to catch him off guard as she was able to lock it back up, stumbling back against the wall again. She held the blade out shakily, it being her only defense.

_That’s ironic…_ she thought, looking at it. _So many times I worried he was going to hurt himself with this thing and now I’m using it as a weapon…_ She was jolted from her thoughts when she heard a pounding at the door and someone screaming her name, however.

“Imogene!” the male on the other side screamed, thudding against the door with his fists and what sounded like the bloodied knife he carried in his hands. Tears pricked at her eyes as she watched the door, pulling out her cell phone she had tucked away in the small pocket on her shorts she wore. With a quick glance at it, she pulled up a number and sent a very brief text message.

“ _SOS!”_ she wrote, sending it with the address, instructions she had received from her father when he gave her the number from a Bobby Singer before she left for college. When it was delivered, she tucked the phone away again and looked back towards the door. However, the blood loss had gotten the better of her, and she collapsed to the floor just as her boyfriend’s solid, coal black eye peered through a hole in the door.


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Imogene meets Sam Winchester after the brothers rescue her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summary: A young woman gets thrown into the world of hunters and monsters after being attacked by her supposed boyfriend, and learns that not everything is as it appears. Deciding she wants to learn how to fight these things, she asks the Winchesters for help, and along the way, starts feeling something unexpected for the older Winchester.  
> Trigger Warnings: Blood, major character near death, canon typical violence, mentions of abuse, if I forgot to list any, please let me know in a comment!
> 
> Beta Reader: flutistbyday2020 on Tumblr  
> Pairing: Eventual Dean Winchester x Original Female Character

_**Chapter One** _

Dean Winchester sat in the war room, drinking a beer while his younger brother, Sam, searched for a case. He felt the phone in his pocket vibrate and pulled it out, looking at the number. He frowned slightly and showed it to Sam.

“You recognize this number?” he asked. Sam looked at it, his brows furrowing and he shook his head.

“No, but it looks important,” he replied, noticing the start of the message. Dean took the phone back and pulled up the message, his eyebrows shooting up.

“Seems like we got a case, Sammy,” he told him, standing up. He slid him the phone so he could see the address. “And it ain’t too far either.”

He went to get his supplies ready, not knowing what he was getting into while having Sam try to call the number. When he came back with his bag, he looked to Sam, wondering if he had had any luck.

“Nothing but voicemail. Some girl named Imogene Winters, seems like. Can’t say I know it, but if she has this number and sent an SOS... Must be something,” Sam replied, closing his laptop and heading towards the garage with Dean. Along the way, Dean tried to call the number as well.

“ _Hello! You’ve reached Imogene Winters, please leave me a message as I’m unavailable right now!”_ crackled through the speaker and Dean swore. Not even a ring; the phone was off. He got into the driver side and started up the car.

Sam climbed into the passenger seat of Baby, giving Dean directions along the way.

* * *

A little while later, they pulled up outside the dark, seemingly empty two story house. It was quiet as they walked up to the door, almost eerily so.

Dean retrieved his lockpick, unlocking the door and pushing it open. He and Sam walked in and looked around, noticing the staircase had a broken banister and bloodstains. Dean had his machete, gun and angel blade, Sam carrying a similar arsenal.

Once they were inside, Dean motioned for Sam to check downstairs while he headed up, hearing the pounding and screaming coming from the second story.

While Sam searched the lower floor for any signs of life, Dean crept up the stairs, following the screams of rage, his gun held at the ready.

A column of light came into view and he saw a tall, dark haired male kicking and pounding at a door, seemingly trying to make the hole in it bigger. He couldn’t see what was in the room, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was he saw the obsidian eyes of the male and the unnatural angle of his neck with a large gash on his head.

_Demon,_ he thought, firing his gun and gaining the male’s attention. The demon didn’t flinch from the bullet, instead turning towards Dean and holding up the bloodied butcher knife in his hand. A snarl formed on his lips and he dashed at him, swinging the blade.

“She’s mine!” he growled out. Dean easily dodged the blade and moved to disarm the other male, pulling out the angel blade to fend him off.

Sam, having heard the gunshot, rushed up the stairs to help. In no time, the blade was sunk into the male, his face flashing a couple times with a demonic light before he fell in a heap. Dean looked at him before turning to Sam.

“Well, he sure as hell wasn’t the one who sent that message. You find anything downstairs?”

Sam shook his head.

“No signs of life down there. We should look around here, see if we can find her, and if not, we check for secret rooms. Who knows how many victims are in here.” He frowned and looked around, spotting pictures of the possessed male on the wall with a young blonde woman. He grabbed it and looked at it. “Wonder if that’s her—She look happy to you?” he asked, showing Dean the picture. He took it, looking at it before his gaze shifted back towards Sam.

“No. Looks like she’s f—son of a bitch!” As Dean had looked up, he spotted Imogene crumpled on the floor, the fight having put him at a different angle. He hurried over, reaching through and unlocking the door.

“Hey! Can you hear me?” he called, picked her up and turning her over. Her face was pale and there were dark circles under her eyes. There was blood dried to the corner of her mouth, Dean checking her for bruising. Sam rushed over as well, noticing the blood on the floor around her.

“Is she alive?” he asked.

Dean searched for a pulse. He found a faint one and then spotted the stab wound in her side.

“Barely. Get the med kit from Baby,” he told him, checking her for other injuries before picking her up. He looked for somewhere to lay her flat so they could tend her wound. Sam nodded and hurried off.

The first space Dean could find was the bed, so he laid her on it carefully. He moved her clothes out of the way, noting how badly she was wounded before applying pressure to it with some tissues he found. He heard Sam come back and called out to him to let him know where he was.

“Don’t wake up and slap me, okay? I’m trying to help…” he muttered. She didn’t move or respond, completely unconscious.

“Hey, she doing okay?” Sam asked, coming into the room and assessing the injury. Dean looked at him from the bed.

“About as well as she can be, given the situation,” he replied, a touch of sarcasm in his voice. “She’s unconscious and bleeding out.”

Sam nodded and came over, opening the kit and getting out some supplies. He started carefully stitching her wound closed before bandaging it. When it was patched up, Dean moved to leave, heading downstairs.

“Come on, Sam, let’s get going!” he called, looking up the stairs for him. Sam looked between him and Imogene, frowning before heading out to the staircase.

“Dean, we can’t just leave her here. When she wakes up, she’s gonna be terrified with no idea what’s even going on,” he protested.

Dean stared at him for a moment, wanting to protest. However, Sam used his puppy-dog eyes, so instead he sighed and gave in.

“Fine, but you’re in charge of getting things for her and getting her dressed. And bring a towel, I don’t want blood all over the backseat.”

He turned to walk out to the car. Sam sighed and started looking through the closet and the dresser, finding a box labeled “Imogene’s Treasures.” He frowned and grabbed it out, as well as a bag, tucking the more feminine clothes he found into it. Then he grabbed out a loose shirt and pants, dressing her carefully.

_This would look really bad if someone walked in,_ he thought, tugging the shirt into place before getting what he assumed was her phone and tucking it in the bag as well. After he had taken care of that, he went and grabbed a towel from the bathroom. He carefully tucked it under her and scooped her up.

“Alright, here we go…” He slung the bag on his elbow and carried her carefully down the stairs. Once outside, he approached the car. Dean opened the door and looked at him.

“If we get pulled over and they find her in my backseat, I’m blaming you,” he warned, getting into the driver’s seat and starting up the car. Sam nodded, rolling his eyes and carefully laying her on the seat before getting in next to Dean.

* * *

When they arrived back at the bunker, Sam set Imogene up in one of the bedrooms. He set her bag beside the with a glass of water on the nightstand before leaving the room.

Dean was in the kitchen, a beer in his hand as he leaned against the counter. He didn’t want to admit it, but he was worried about the woman as well. Sam was right; she had been through hell, it looked like, and he didn’t want to just abandon her there. But he also worried he wouldn’t do anything but make it worse for her. He sighed and took another drink before heading towards his own bedroom, pausing when he saw Sam closing the door.

“You put her in the room next to mine?” he asked, frowning. “Really?”

“It was the closest one that was available and this way, if she wakes up, we can hear her,” Sam responded, looking at him. “I don’t want her to be all alone and terrified.”

Dean glared at him halfheartedly.

“Then put her in your room!” he protested. Sam looked at him.

“Yes, because waking up with a random guy she doesn’t know is gonna be more comforting?” he replied.

Dean thought about it for a moment and shook his head before walking into his room, not saying anything else. He sat on his bed and drank his beer, getting lost in thought.

_What am I gonna do if she wakes up in the middle of the night and she is terrified? How am I supposed to help her?_ he wondered with a sigh, downing the rest of his drink before setting the bottle on the shelf above his bed. He stood up, tugging off his jeans and boots, tossing his flannel on the chair by his desk. He got himself comfortable, leaning back in his bed. Finally, he grabbed out his laptop, deciding to browse the internet to help himself relax. Stopping on his favorite site, Busty Asian Beauties, he began browsing, letting it help him relax and forget the events of the night.

* * *

Imogene woke up the next morning, her side and head both aching, her throat parched. She noticed the water once she was able to clear her vision, sitting up and drinking it quickly. It was only then she noticed the unfamiliar surroundings.

_Where am I?_ she thought, looking around. She walked over to the door, expecting it to be locked, but she was pleasantly surprised to find it opened with ease. _Did I die?...No, if I died, I wouldn’t be this sore… What happened?_ She kept wandering around, looking at the doors as she went, shaking gently.

Eventually, she stumbled into the kitchen, frowning. Still no exit, and no idea where she was, but at least maybe she could find something to eat. Hopefully whoever owned the place wouldn’t care. She pulled open the fridge, noting the lack of real food and how much takeout there was with a little sigh. Finding some eggs, a frying pan and spatula, she started making herself some breakfast.

“Oh, hey, you’re awake,” a deep male voice said behind her. She jumped, spinning around and burning her hand on the stove.

“Ow!” she exclaimed, looking at it before the tall, dark haired man with gentle eyes, dressed in a jogging suit and tennis shoes. He walked over and gently took her hand, trying to inspect it before she yanked it away.

“Who are you?!” she demanded of him, body trembling as much as her voice. He held up his hands, trying to show her he wasn’t trying to hurt her.

“My name is Sam Winchester. You contacted my brother and me last night,” he told her softly. “We showed up and found you unconscious. The man you were with was trying to break down the door and kill you. We didn’t want to leave you there alone, so we brought you back here with us.” He kept his voice gentle, not wanting to scare her anymore than she already was.

“W-Winchester?” she whispered, vaguely remembering the number she had messaged. The name her father had saved it as was indeed Winchester. “Th-the number… So… it’s safe here?” She looked up at him, her eyes still betraying her fear. He nodded.

“Yes. Here, let me see your hand,” he replied, approaching her slowly and gently taking it. He could see the redness from the burn. This time, she didn’t resist, letting him run it under cool water to ease the sting. “Do you need help? Anything to eat, medicine, or anything at all?”

She shook her head. “N-no, I’m okay,” she replied, looking at her palm once he let it go. “Uhm—th-thank you, though. You and your brother—for saving me.”

Sam nodded to her and grabbed a couple bottles of water from the fridge, handing her one.

“Here, you should try to hydrate yourself. You had a pretty rough night last night. And if you want, later I’ll look at your injury and redress it.”

She nodded in response, accepting the water gratefully. She drank it before turning back to her breakfast. Sam watched her a moment longer before going to get a shower, leaving her alone once again.


	3. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Imogene meets Dean Winchester.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summary: A young woman gets thrown into the world of hunters and monsters after being attacked by her supposed boyfriend, and learns that not everything is as it appears. Deciding she wants to learn how to fight these things, she asks the Winchesters for help, and along the way, starts feeling something unexpected for the older Winchester. 
> 
> Trigger Warnings: Blood, major character near death, canon typical violence, mentions of abuse, if I forgot to list any, please let me know in a comment!
> 
> Pairing: Eventual Dean Winchester x Original Female Character

_**Chapter Two** _

Imogene sat at the table in the kitchen, which was more like a countertop with barstools, eating her breakfast. She had made some coffee as well, sipping some from a mug while she thought about the events of the past several days.

_I know he wasn’t the nicest guy in the world but… why did he attack me like that?_ she thought, frowning down at the plate. The more she thought about it, the more it made her stomach turn. Finally, she pushed the food away, her appetite waning. She sighed and stood up, moving to dump the rest of the eggs into the trash.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. What are you doing? Those eggs didn’t do anything to you,” a gruff voice called out from behind her. She turned to face him, eyes wide as she paused mid-action. “Unless they’re bad, in which case, throw them out, by all means.”

“You’re not Sam…” she squeaked, looking up at him. He walked over to the coffee pot and poured a mug, nodding.

“Got that right. I’m the better looking one, Dean. And you must be Imogene.” He looked at her again. His eyes looked her over before he drank his coffee.

“So, how did you get my number?”

She looked at him, walking over and setting the plate back on the counter; she wasn’t sure how to react to Dean. Sam had been so nice and calm, while Dean was straight to the point and a little rough.

“From… my father…” she told him softly, eyes staying on him now. He watched her as he waited for her to continue and she sighed. “His name is Silas Winters. He got it from Bobby Singer.”

Dean bristled as she mentioned Bobby’s name, staring her down for a moment before walking over.

“Bobby Singer? Your dad knew Bobby Singer? Then how come your name isn’t familiar at all?”

She shrank away from him, pressing back against the counter and shaking as she looked at him.

“I-I don’t know!” she replied, tears starting to prick at her eyes. “He was a friend of my dad, they used to go hunting together before I was born… I only ever met him once or twice…” She trembled and her knees started to feel weak, flashing back to times when her boyfriend would corner her and scream at her for nothing more than an accident. Slowly, she slid down the counter to the floor, shaking and crying. Dean immediately stepped back.

“Whoa, whoa, I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to – to scare you. I just… we can’t have any risks. You say your dad went hunting with Bobby?” he asked, voice softening as he ran a hand over his face. He felt awful for causing her state, not sure how to help. She nodded slowly. After a few moments hesitation, he sighed.

“Come on, come over here and sit with me. Let’s talk,” he tried. She looked up at him, tears on her face as she moved to stand up, taking a seat on one of the stools. Her eyes dropped back to the floor again.

There were several moments more of silence before Dean continued.

“Bobby was a hunter, but he didn’t hunt animals. He hunted things like the guy you were living with. See, that guy, he was a demon. And for some reason he was hellbent on killing you. You did the right thing, contacting us like that.” He looked at her, hoping she would look at him. When she still didn’t, he stood up, noting the eggs still abandoned.

“What kinds of things do you like to eat? I need to make a run for supplies, I can pick you something up.”

Finally, she looked at him, still timid. She bit her lip, thinking.

“Uhm… m-maybe… maybe a cheeseburger for lunch? And… if it’s not too much trouble… some juice? I’m not – not picky on the flavor.”

Dean nodded in reply, smiling slightly.

“Yea, I can handle that. Go ahead and get rid of those eggs. I’ll bring you back something good,” he promised before heading out of the kitchen. Imogene smiled a little to herself, finding a little comfort in the fact that he, at least, apologized when she had gotten scared.

* * *

While Dean was out, Imogene decided to explore a little more. She found the library, taking a seat and looking at the table. 

_Hm? What’s this?_ she thought, noting the initials carved in it. The S.W. and D.W.  _Must be their initials_ , she guessed. When she heard footsteps, she looked up, spotting Sam. She waved and smiled gently. 

“Hi, Sam,” she greeted softly. He waved back to her, coming to sit with her, setting his laptop on the table. He took a seat across from her, opening the computer. 

“Hey, did you have a nice breakfast?” he asked, smiling at her. She nodded a little. 

“Yea, it was alright. And I met your brother…” she whispered, recalling the encounter with Dean. A little smile showed on her face when she remembered him trying to calm her. Sam looked at her curiously. 

“You’re smiling after a meeting with my brother?” he asked with a soft chuckle. “Are you sure it was the same Dean I know?” 

She blushed a little and cleared her throat.

“At first he was a little rough, but then he was actually… nice. He even offered to bring me something back while he’s out running errands.” 

Sam raised his eyebrows.

“Huh. That’s nice of him. Glad you got to see his nice side already.” Sam smiled a little before looking back at the screen and starting to search for cases. Imogene didn’t say anymore, instead she started to look around the library. None of the book titles made any sense to her. 

“Sam? What are… all these books?” She pulled one from the shelf as he looked up. He furrowed his brows, contemplating what to say. 

“They’re… lore. Myths and legends and stuff.” He got up and walked over, seeing which book she was holding. “That one is about shifters; creatures who can turn into other people. It tells about how to tell what they are and how to slay them, things like that.” He carefully watched her reactions as she slid the book back into place. 

“Dean told me my ex was a demon. So… are things like that real then, Sam?” she asked. He thought for several moments before answering. 

“Yea. Pretty much every horror movie creature you’ve heard of is real…” he replied gently, brushing back his hair. 

* * *

Dean came in with some bags, one holding the cheeseburger and juice Imogene had asked for. He looked around before peeking into the library. He saw Sam talking with Imogene, but he couldn’t really tell what the two were saying. She seemed fascinated by whatever he was telling her, nodding eagerly. After a few moments, he walked over and knocked on the table to get their attention. 

“Not interrupting anything, am I?” He grinned at Sam, wiggling his eyebrows at him. Imogene jumped a little and Sam turned to look at him, frowning a little before responding. 

“I was just bringing Imogene up to speed on things that go bump in the night,” he explained. She nodded, moving to stand up. 

“Vampires and werewolves… they’re real?” she whispered, looking at Dean. Something still turned in her stomach when she looked at him, though it wasn’t entirely unpleasant. He nodded. 

“Yea, they’re real. Along with ghosts, shapeshifters, demons, angels, just about anything you can imagine,” he told her bluntly. Her face paled slightly and he changed the subject. “Come on, I have lunch for you in the kitchen.” Over her shoulder, he added, “And some rabbit food for Sammy.” 

Sam frowned at him again, looking at him.

“Really, Dean? Do you have to call it that?” He got up and followed the two of them to the kitchen. 

Once they sat down, Imogene gratefully accepted the burger and juice, smiling at Dean before taking a drink. Her eyes widened a little as she looked at it; it was fruit punch, her favorite kind. She glanced at him before returning to her food. He didn’t seem to notice, but Sam did. He smirked slightly to himself as he ate his salad, talking with Dean about a case lead he had found while he was out.

“Should be a simple salt and burn it seems like, in the next town over. We can go check it out or I can ask one of the other hunters to check it out,” he told him. Dean nodded. 

“Yea, I’ll go and take care of it. You stay here with Imogene,” he told him. Before Sam could protest, she interjected. 

“Genie… You can call me Genie, Dean. All… all my friends do.” She smiled softly again, and he smiled back a little. 

“Getting sweet on me already, huh?” he asked, tone playful, and she blushed. She quickly looked away and he chuckled. “I’m just kidding.” Then he turned back to Sam. “You stay here and help Genie get adjusted. If I need you, I’ll call.” 

Sam started to protest again, but sighed and finally nodded.

“Yea, alright. Be careful out there.” 


	4. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Imogene starts to learn about hunting and gets into contact with her parents finally. Sam and Dean convince him to let them teach her how to be a hunter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summary: A young woman gets thrown into the world of hunters and monsters after being attacked by her supposed boyfriend, and learns that not everything is as it appears. Deciding she wants to learn how to fight these things, she asks the Winchesters for help, and along the way, starts feeling something unexpected for the older Winchester.   
> Trigger Warnings: Blood, major character near death, canon typical violence, mentions of abuse, if I forgot to list any, please let me know in a comment!  
> Beta Reader: No  
> Pairing: Eventual Dean Winchester x Original Female Character

_**Chapter Three** _

While Dean was away for the next couple days, Sam helped Imogene learn lore, tend to her injury, and navigate her way around the bunker. In return, she started cooking dinner and helping him search for cases, finding him to be a reliable friend. She almost forgot about Dean’s return when he came down the stairs a couple days later, hollering for Sam. 

“Sammy!” he called, walking in. He caught the scent of something cooking in the kitchen, heading towards it. He was surprised to see it wasn’t Sam at the stove, but Imogene. “Huh. She cooks too. Hopefully something good.” He walked over and peered over her shoulder to see what it was. She jumped, looking at him. 

“Ah, hi,” she greeted, eyes a little wide. He smiled, nodding to the food. “Oh. It’s… chicken alfredo… Pasta.” 

“Huh. Can’t say I’ve had that in a long time, but it smells good.” He looked at it again curiously before turning back towards her. “Have you seen Sam?” 

She thought for a moment before nodding. 

“Yea, he said he was going to the- Hey!” She watched him steal a bite of the cooked chicken, grinning at her. She couldn’t help smiling and shaking her head. “It will be ready soon, go see your brother.” 

He chuckled and went to find Sam, leaving her alone in the kitchen again.

* * *

About twenty minutes later, the three of them were together in the kitchen, Sam giving Dean an update on Imogene’s progress while they ate.

“She’s got the ghost lore down; she’s been a pretty quick learner,” he informed his older brother, who nodded, gratefully eating the pasta she’d made. 

“Good, good,” he replied, looking towards Imogene. “So what’s the best defense against a ghost?” 

“A salt circle, they can’t cross it. But otherwise, iron works,” she recited, glancing towards Sam to make sure she had the answer right. He flashed her a smile and Dean nodded in approval. 

“Alright. And how do you vanquish them?” 

Again, she recited the answer.

“Burn their bones after salting them. If there are no bones, you have to… find the object they’re attached to?” 

Sam nodded, smiling again. Dean seemed satisfied with her answer and took a long drink from his beer.

“Keep learning like that and when you’re healed, maybe I’ll take you on a hunt,” he told her as he set the empty bottle down. She perked up when he told her that, smiling. 

“Yea? That would be...nice.” She nodded and went back to eating, trying to hide the little blush on her face. Dean didn’t notice it, but Sam did. He didn’t mention it, however, though he did make a mental note. 

“I was thinking next I would teach her about vampires,” he told Dean, who nodded once again. He seemed engrossed by the meal, not fully listening to what Sam was saying now. 

“Sounds good,” he responded, finishing off what was on his plate and sighing in satisfaction. “That’s one of the best damn meals I’ve had in a long time.”

Sam shot him a look before brushing it off. Imogene giggled softly.

“Hey, I’ve had your cooking a couple times, Sam, and it’s delicious,” she promised. Dean glanced between them and raised his eyebrows. 

“Well, well, did I come back to find my little brother charmed a pretty girl while I was away?” he chuckled. Sam shook his head. 

“No, we’re just friends,” he replied, and she nodded in agreement. 

“Sam helped me feel more comfortable here and went to get the ingredients for me to make tonight’s dinner when I asked him. If I’d known you were back tonight, I’d have made something a little more special…” She smiled softly. Dean chuckled and shook his head. 

“This is plenty special, sweetheart,” he told her. Her smile grew a little and she ducked her head to hide how happy his reply made her. 

* * *

A couple of weeks passed, Dean and Sam teaching Imogene more about the lore and how to defend herself once she was healed up enough. Sam taught her some basic self defense and Dean opted to go more in depth. He wanted her to know more than just how to defend herself; he wanted to be sure she could handle whatever came at her, demon or otherwise. 

During those couple of weeks, she had also contacted her family and friends to let them know she was okay. Her father had insisted on speaking with the brothers, giving them the okay to train her after a long debate, and only after insisting he have visiting rights. The day had arrived they’d decided on, and she was sitting in the Impala beside Dean. 

“This car rides so nice!” she exclaimed, smiling and trailing her hands over the seats. Sam had opted to stay behind, not wanting to crowd Imogene and her family. Dean looked at her and smirked to himself. 

“Course she does; wouldn’t have it any other way,” he replied, shifting his position a little as he drove to the diner. She looked over at him, blushing a little. 

“Impalas are my favorite classic car. And this is actually my favorite model of them; Dad and I made model cars together when I was a little girl and we put together a red 1967 Impala. He gave it to me as a gift when I started high school because he always caught me admiring it,” she told him, a fond look in her eyes as she recalled the events. He glanced at her, her serene expression stirring something inside him. As much as he hated to admit it, she’d grown on him. She was a fast learner and eager to discover new things. 

“You have excellent taste,” he chuckled, turning into the parking lot. “Want me to come in with you? Wouldn’t hurt for me to meet your old man, I s’pose.” 

She thought for a moment. 

“Well, Dad probably would like to meet you. So I suppose so, yea.” She moved to get out of the car, closing the door and heading inside. Dean followed behind her, holding the door as she hurried inside. Scanning over the crowd, she caught sight of the familiar salt and pepper hair of her father, her mother sitting next to him. She ran towards them, Dean trying in vain to stop her. 

“Hey-” He sighed as he saw her join them, hugging the blonde woman happily. He could see the family resemblance; Imogene’s mother looked almost exactly like her, except her eyes. Genie had her father’s eyes. Before anyone caught him staring, he walked over, offering his hand to them. 

“Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Winters. I’m Dean Winchester,” he told them. Imogene’s mother smiled and shook his hand. Her father nodded, and Dean awkwardly put his hand down. 

“Call me Michaela,” her mother told him. “Silas told me you saved Genie from that monster she was with. He kept her cut off from us and we couldn’t ever find her…” She hugged Imogene tightly, causing the younger woman to blush lightly. 

“I’m safe now, Mama,” she told her, smiling. “Dean and his brother Sam have been helping me. They’re teaching me to defend myself and they gave me a place to stay for now.” 

Michaela nodded and kept hugging her, telling her how much she missed her and how glad she was to see her again, that she was safe. Meanwhile, her father, Silas, kept his eyes on Dean. 

“You remember our deal, Dean,” he told him. Dean nodded to him; Silas had told him to keep an eye on her, to make sure she wasn’t ever hurt like that again. 

“Yes, Sir, I remember,” he replied. He glanced at Imogene, Michaela still fussing over her, and he knew he wouldn’t let anything happen to her even if he hadn’t promised Silas. 


	5. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Imogene gets to go on her first hunt! But first, the trio has to make a stop at a motel...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summary: A young woman gets thrown into the world of hunters and monsters after being attacked by her supposed boyfriend, and learns that not everything is as it appears. Deciding she wants to learn how to fight these things, she asks the Winchesters for help, and along the way, starts feeling something unexpected for the older Winchester.   
> Trigger Warnings: Blood, major character near death, canon typical violence, mentions of abuse, if I forgot to list any, please let me know in a comment!  
> Beta Reader: No  
> Pairing: Eventual Dean Winchester x Original Female Character

_**Chapter Four** _

After having lunch and saying goodbye, Dean and Imogene headed back to the bunker. Things were quiet except for the radio, blaring Metallica’s The Unforgiven. She started to hum along as the silence began to bother her, and Dean looked at her briefly, surprised.

“You know Metallica?” he asked, looking back at the road after a few moments. She nodded. 

“Yea, of course. They’re only one of the best bands ever…” She shrugged and went back to humming along. He raised his eyebrows before smirking, joining in and singing along. She smiled at him, singing as well. He glanced at her again, a slightly unfamiliar feeling building inside him. 

When they arrived back at the bunker, she headed inside from the garage, eager to go help Sam research and learn more of the lore. Dean watched her go, fighting back a frown as he ducked into the kitchen, grabbing himself a beer.

“Hey, how’d it go?” Sam greeted when he saw her head into the library. She waved and sat with him. 

“It went well, actually; seeing Mom and Dad again was great and having Dean there… well, it was actually really comforting,” she replied. Sam chuckled and shook his head. 

“When are you gonna tell him about that huge crush you’re getting?” he teased, making her blush bright red. She quickly shushed him, looking over her shoulder to make sure Dean was out of earshot. 

“I told you that in confidence!” she exclaimed, lightly tossing a wadded up paper at him. He chuckled. 

“Yea, and it’s obvious to anyone with eyes. And before long, even Dean will notice something is up.” 

She hid her face again before shaking it off.

“Come on, I came to help you research so you can teach me more about the lore,” she insisted, trying to focus. He chuckled again and showed her what he was researching. 

“Alright, let me show you what’s going on, and how to start figuring out what it could be,” he told her, indicating things on the screen. “This article here talks about a guy found dead in his car with no one else in there and the doors locked, keys still in the ignition. Seems odd, right?” 

She nodded, looking at the article.

“So then… you need to know what could get in and out of the car without opening the doors, right?” she asked, looking at him. He nodded. She thought a few minutes. “Ghost… demon… maybe even… witches use hex bags, right? Could they do something like this?” 

He tilted his head.

“Maybe. If they knew the right kind of spell, but it’s unlikely. But to find out for certain, we need to go and investigate it at the scene, see what other kinds of clues there are. Like when demons are around…” He looked at her, raising his eyebrows in a silent question. 

“Demons… leave the smell of sulfur. And ghosts have cold spots. But of course… we can’t really ask _him_ about that…” She frowned, reading over the article as Dean walked in. 

“So, you think you’re ready to go on your first case?” he asked from the doorway. She looked up, surprised. 

“Really? Yea! I would love to!” She smiled and he nodded. 

“Alright then. Let’s go get you some gear.” He smiled back and motioned for her and Sam to join him. 

* * *

A little while later, Imogene was wearing a casual women’s pants suit and holding her own fake ID and badge Sam had put together for her. She looked at it for a moment.

“At least this picture looks better than my driver’s license,” she pointed out with a little frown. She looked a little tired in the picture, her freckles standing out with little to no makeup and her hair was looking a little flat. “I had to sneeze when they took it…” 

Dean chuckled and shook his head.

“Come on, you don’t look so bad. Besides, who ever looks good in an ID photo?” He smiled and caught her eye in the rear view mirror, winking. She blushed and looked out the window. 

“So, what do I need to know on the way to this case? Like how should I act and stuff?” she asked, looking between the two brothers. 

“Just conduct yourself in a professional manner and follow our lead. You’ll be just fine,” Sam promised. She nodded, her nerves calming slightly. Dean turned up the radio, playing Metallica again. Sam rolled his eyes slightly but Imogene perked up a little more. 

“Hey, that’s Nothing Else Matters, right? That’s an awesome song!” She smiled and started humming along. Dean smiled, Sam catching it out of the corner of his eye. Imogene stared out the window again, enjoying the ride and the music. 

* * *

As it started to get dark, Dean pulled into a motel. He glanced in the rear view mirror towards Imogene, seeing that she had fallen asleep. He smiled gently and looked to Sam.

“I’m going to get us a room. Keep an eye on Sleeping Beauty back there,” he told him, getting out. Sam nodded, checking on her while Dean went in and got a room. She murmured in her sleep, nothing coherent before she shifted into a more comfortable position. He chuckled and shook his head while waiting on Dean. 

After a few minutes, he came back with a set of keys.

“Alright, we’re in room 119.” He tossed one of the keys to Sam. “Get the bags.” He opened the back door and gently picked up Imogene, carrying her towards the room. Using the other key, he unlocked and carefully opened the door, laying her on one of the beds. Sam came in a couple moments later, setting down the bags. 

“So… two beds and no couch, huh? Which one of us is gonna share with Genie then?” he asked. Dean looked at him, frowning. 

“I mean… she knows you better. So you should probably share with her…” he told him. Sam frowned as well, raising his eyebrows. 

“What makes you say that?” he replied. Dean shrugged a little. 

“I mean, she hangs out with you all the time, researching and stuff. You two are like… I dunno, are you a thing now?” He looked at his younger brother and Sam shook his head. 

“No. We’re just friends. Besides that, I can tell you like her, Dean.” 

Dean looked away and cleared his throat. 

“Wh-what? Who said anything about liking her? I just… she would feel awkward waking up next to me, okay? You take the bed with her.” Without giving Sam a chance to protest, he got into the other bed. Sam rolled his eyes and stretched out with his back to Imogene, careful to give her enough room. 

* * *

A few hours passed and Imogene sleepily woke up, stumbling towards the bathroom. When she came back out, she crawled back into bed, almost instantly falling asleep. However, the occupant of the bed was awake and glanced at her. Dean sighed softly when he saw her, shifting to face her. He watched her sleeping face for a moment before reaching out to stroke her cheek gently. She shifted in her sleep and moved closer to him, murmuring in her sleep.

_This is really dangerous, Genie, if only you knew,_ he thought, moving his arm around her. He hated that Sam was right; he had gotten attached to her and he feared what that would mean for her. His arms gently pulled her in against him and he closed his eyes. After several minutes, he fell asleep beside her. 

* * *

In the early morning hours, Imogene started shifting around and whimpering in her sleep, waking Dean up. He looked at her, concerned. Her face was pale and she was trembling, her brow covered in sweat.

“N-no…” she murmured, eyes clenched. He reached out for her and softly shook her shoulder. 

“Hey… Genie, come on, wake up,” he called to her. She whimpered and struggled a little before her eyes fluttered open, falling on Dean’s face. Her breathing started to calm down as she looked around.

“Wh-where…?” she asked, returning her gaze to his face. He gently stroked her hair. 

“Hey, you’re alright. It was just a dream,” he told her, eyes soft as he looked at her. She bit her lip before nodded. 

“Y-yea. I had… had a nightmare,” she whispered. He nodded and shifted to pull her against him. 

“Come here. I’ll keep you safe,” he promised. She relaxed against him, moving to try and hide the blush forming on her face. 

“Thank you,” she replied before closing her eyes. He didn’t reply, just kept her close to him til she calmed down and fell back asleep. 

_Yup, I am absolutely screwed,_ he thought as he closed his eyes again as well, falling into a dreamless sleep beside her. 


End file.
